COMMENT OF THE DAY: UNLESS, OF COURSE, THEY SHOW URBAN COWBOY EVERY NIGHT AT MIDNIGHT “In regard to Sundance Cinemas, that’s potentially great news, but honestly, I wonder if it won’t succumb to the same fate as its predecessor. Even if it manages to reel in the handful of film buffs gasping for air in this sprawling sea of easily titillated Transformers, it still has to deal with being in a somewhat awkward spot. I just don’t see the independent film crowd planning a night of avant-garde cinema and theme bar hopping. Yee-haw, Thaddeus! Ride that bull.” [kilray, commenting on Report: Sundance Cinemas Replacing Angelika Film Center at Bayou Place; Bar Smorgasbord Moving in Upstairs]
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@kilray: If you ever went to the Angelika you would know most everyone who went there saw only movies and perhaps had a bite to eat in the defunct cafe. They mostly (if at all)did not patronize the local bar scene so I do not see a problem with it. The Angelika had a loyal following and there should not be any problem with the movie crowd going through one door and the bar crowd go to the theme-oriented venues. Your cynical attitude must be tiring.
The location is a problem, but not because people going to watch indy movies won’t go to douche bars (hasn’t been a problem for the Opera, Symphony and Ballet). The problem is the surge of people that descend on the area on Friday and Saturday night to go to Jones, Wortham, Alley, and Verizon. The underground parking lot gets slammed and the streets fill up. Assuming Sundance would still validate underground parking, you would lose $5-6 by parking on a surface lot. That is a lot of hassle to get to see the latest Jean Pierre Jeunet film.
Otherwise, it is a great location. You just get on Memorial, and bang you’re there. I just hope Weingarten doesn’t see this as an excuse to try to wrecking ball River Oaks again.
Heightsite: So how are Angelika-Houston and its loyal crowd doing now? A failed business model under a new name is still a failed business model. As someone that misses the Greenway and the Angelika, I’m all for Sundance moving in and I’d be more than happy if they proved me wrong. But, your comment about Angelika-goers not patronizing the bar scene is making my point. Angelika was relying almost completely on its own drawing power. To pay the rent and be profitable, Sundance will need more than the same loyal customers. I don’t think having Shitty Streets 2 on site is going to help accomplish that goal. See you at the movies.